Church in Colombia calls for common sense and good judgment in political corruption case

Bogotá, Colombia, Jul 1, 2008 / 02:13 pm (CNA).- The president of the Bishops’ Conference of Colombia, Archbishop Luis Augusto Castro Quiroga, said this week that amidst the climate of political tension that the country is experiencing, he hopes there will be a “solution of growth and not of crisis.”

In April of this year, former Colombian congresswoman Yidis Medina said she received gifts from the government in exchange for her vote in favor of constitutional reform that would allow President Alvaro Uribe to run for a second term. Her statements caused uproar in the country.

In statements to Caracol Radio, Archbishop Castro said, “We hope there is a solution,” adding that he does not consider it prudent to mediate in the confrontation due to the complexity of the matter.

The archbishop made his statements as the 85th General Assembly of the Colombian bishops takes place in Bogota. The bishops are focused on the celebration of the first centenary of the creation of the Bishops’ Conference, electing a new president, vice president and general secretary for 2008-2011.